Are the North and South Poles Exactly Alike?

No, the point we refer to as the North Pole is on an ice-covered sea, the Arctic Ocean. Beneath the ice and snow of the South Pole lies solid land, the continent of Antarctica.

Winter temperatures in the South Pole may drop to more than 100 degrees below zero. In the North Pole region, air currents rising from the great expanse of water help raise the temperature a bit. So the North Pole does not get as cold as the South Pole.

Penguins live in the southern hemisphere only, this means in the Antarctic region, where they have no natural continental predators. And unlike the lifeless region of the South Pole, polar bears clomp around on the icecap at the North Pole.

The two poles are at extreme opposites of the planet, and many of their features are also polar opposites.

Content for this question contributed by Michael Salzinger, resident of University Heights, Ohio, USA